Shadow is still not herself but she says if she takes it slowly she thinks she will be better soon. She’s a bit fed up about having only a little food every couple of hours but she does understand why. She’s also fed up that she can’t have any of her usual dog treats. You would by shocked by the fat content in them. I’ve said she can have some of my duck strips. They are delicious and only 4% fat. Our friend Avril says she’s going to make her some special liver treats and I’m hoping she might give me the odd one in return. I met each of the puppies properly this morning. I had chance to sniff nose to nose hellos with each of them after they had been weighed. It was lovely to put a smell to a face. Ari has met his brothers and sisters through the pen bars. He’s just a bit too exuberant for them at the moment. Most he met Beethoven who gave him a little bark and Aristotle literally jumped backwards in surprise. The other good thing is that now I can be with my Mistress, almost 24hours a day again, I’ve relaxed and am not being quite so barky and miserable. I didn’t bolt my food this morning, which tells you how much more relaxed I’m feeling.
There were only two night feeds last night, which meant my Mistress got rather more sleep. She still feels fairly wrecked but as long as things carry on the way they are going she will be back to normal in no time at all.
Today’s weights show the puppies responding to the new regime beautifully. Shadow has more milk again, but probably not enough to feed them and as it’s time to start weaning them anyway we will continue as we are and then reduce the frequency that she goes in with them, but we won’t do that this week. We want them all back to being on top form. Britannia, in the last 24 hours, has added 160g and now weighs 1880g. Bossanova added 150g and now weighs 1830g. Bumble added 170g to make 1760g, Beethoven added 130g to reach 1690g and Boadicea added 110g to reach 1680g. That’s an incredible achievement little puppies. We don’t want you to overdo it, but we’re definitely happy that you are back on track. Now we just need to see you strong enough to be running around and playing. As long as the gains are ok again tomorrow then we are going to worm the little fellows, which may set them back a little but is a necessary process in their on-going health.
Bossanova has received a letter from his new housemate Tino the rabbit. I might ask him later if he’d mind me telling you just a little of what Tino said. It’s rather moving in places and what every puppy needs to hear about his or her future. He may need to get used to a name change. He’s thinking about it, but says that it beats the nickname ‘Big Foot’ that he’s picked up because of his polydactyl feet. He had wondered about ‘Boss’ but didn’t think the hard image suited him. Then we discussed Nova but he said that sounded too ‘girlie’, so all in all he doesn’t think Tucker is too bad an option, but it will take time to adjust. I told him that his mum’s real name is Aisha and that was a surprise to him.
Alfie Dog with a little help from Rosemary J Kind alfie@alfiedog.me.uk
Alfie’s Diary – the Book is available at Amazon UK –https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00583ZGSA
You can find short stories to read at www.alfiedog.com